Autonomous Falcon Shows Just how Far the Tech Has Come

US Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall was given a turn around the patch in the 'X-62A Variable In-flight Simulation Test Aircraft, or VISTA, to illustrate just how far autonomous aircraft have come.

The aircraft sounds much snazzier than it is in reality, being a 30-year old, 2-seat F-16D with a nifty paint job and an R2-D2 in one of the seats. The aircraft has long been in the US Air Force Test Pilot School, where it received modifications for multi-axis thrust vectoring and aerodynamics. It went on to be used in the Skyborg program, equipped with an autonomous control system. Its latest guise now holds an updated and upgraded AI 'pilot', making it the very first AI fighter to dogfight against a human opponent. Kendall took a turn on the stick - well, near the stick - and went out for a spin in the VISTA, to USAF note. While it's ultimately a small thing in the grand tradition of powered flight, it's notable that the Air Force was willing to put someone of rank at the mercy of a fully automated machine.

"The need for innovation at speed and scale is greater than ever. The X-62A VISTA is a crucial platform in our efforts to develop, test and integrate AI, as well as to establish AI certification standards that will revolutionize the future of aerospace," said John Clark, vice president and general manager, Lockheed Martin Skunk Works. "Our proven hardware and software architecture enable safe and controlled environments for AI agents and advanced algorithms to rapidly prototype and develop."

FMI: www.af.mil